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Global governance

What are the key questions related to global governance?
Publications
Publications
Report
Andrew E. Yaw Tchie, Fiifi Edu-Afful

A Forgotten People in An Unstable Region - The Effectiveness of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei Executive Summary

Established in June 2011, UNISFA aims to foster peace, stability, and development in the disputed Abyei region. Focused on implementing the Abyei Protocol, the mission addresses border demarcation (through the Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mechanism for the Sudan-South Sudan boundary since South Sudan’s independence in 2011) and security concerns and supports local governance through engagement with administrations. However, since 2011, UNISFA’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate and protecting civilians has been questioned as sporadic and spontaneous violence remains very high. While the overall security situation in Abyei has shown signs of improvement, persistent conflict dynamics stemming from intra- and inter-communal tensions, hired armed elements, and humanitarian challenges continue to set the region back. The rise of communal conflicts between new ethnicities and communities entering the “Abyei box” – often referred to as the Abyei area – has led to further tensions with the mission over its ability to protect civilians. In this Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) study, the authors set out to explore the effectiveness of UNISFA in meeting its mandated tasks in several areas. These include: 1. Protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence; 2. Support the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism; 3. Provide de-mining assistance, technical advice, and security; and 4. Provide aid to humanitarian personnel and oil infrastructure in the Abyei Administrative Area (AAA), respectively. The report examines how effective the mission has been in meeting its core mandate, what we can understand from the mission’s success and challenges, and how adaptive the mission has been regarding the ongoing crisis in Sudan and South Sudan and its impact on Abyei, which has strategic and broader implications for the mission. Co-authors Dr Andrew E. Yaw Tchie – Senior Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and Training for Peace Programme. Dr Fiifi Edu-Afful – Visiting Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the American University School of International Service and the University of Maryland Department of Government & Politics. He was formerly a Senior Research Fellow at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). Contributing authors Christian Ulfsten – former Research Assistant with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Ruth Adwoa Frimpong – Project Consultant with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) Nigeria. EPON series editor Dr Cedric de Coning, Research Professor – Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Screenshot 2024-04-22 at 15.46.57.png
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report
Andrew E. Yaw Tchie, Fiifi Edu-Afful

A Forgotten People in an Unstable Region - The Effectiveness of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei

Established in June 2011, UNISFA aims to foster peace, stability, and development in the disputed Abyei region. Focused on implementing the Abyei Protocol, the mission addresses border demarcation (through the Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mechanism for the Sudan-South Sudan boundary since South Sudan’s independence in 2011) and security concerns and supports local governance through engagement with administrations. However, since 2011, UNISFA’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate and protecting civilians has been questioned as sporadic and spontaneous violence remains very high. While the overall security situation in Abyei has shown signs of improvement, persistent conflict dynamics stemming from intra- and inter-communal tensions, hired armed elements, and humanitarian challenges continue to set the region back. The rise of communal conflicts between new ethnicities and communities entering the “Abyei box” – often referred to as the Abyei area – has led to further tensions with the mission over its ability to protect civilians. In this Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) study, the authors set out to explore the effectiveness of UNISFA in meeting its mandated tasks in several areas. These include: 1. Protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence; 2. Support the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism; 3. Provide de-mining assistance, technical advice, and security; and 4. Provide aid to humanitarian personnel and oil infrastructure in the Abyei Administrative Area (AAA), respectively. The report examines how effective the mission has been in meeting its core mandate, what we can understand from the mission’s success and challenges, and how adaptive the mission has been regarding the ongoing crisis in Sudan and South Sudan and its impact on Abyei, which has strategic and broader implications for the mission. Co-authors Dr Andrew E. Yaw Tchie – Senior Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and Training for Peace Programme. Dr Fiifi Edu-Afful – Visiting Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the American University School of International Service and the University of Maryland Department of Government & Politics. He was formerly a Senior Research Fellow at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). Contributing authors Christian Ulfsten – former Research Assistant with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Ruth Adwoa Frimpong – Project Consultant with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) Nigeria. EPON series editor Dr Cedric de Coning, Research Professor – Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Screenshot 2024-04-22 at 15.46.57.png
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Lotte Vermeij, Andrew E. Yaw Tchie

The Impact and Response to Misinformation, Disinformation, Malinformation and Hate Speech in the Digital Era Executive Summary

Over the past decades, the use of misinformation, malinformation, disinformation and hate speech (MDMH) has contributed to the escalation of violence in environments where the United Nations deployed Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKO). The widespread utilisation of modern technology in UN PKO environments raises the magnitude of the MDMH threat. In some settings, MDMH places communities and peacekeepers at risk of harm, but more broadly, MDMH places UN PKOs in ever more challenging situations which they are often incapable of responding to. The spread of information by actors as part of hearts and minds campaigns and other information strategies to bring populations on the ground on their side is nothing new. Simultaneously, the diffusion of rumours and false information can contribute to the escalation of tensions between and within groups and communities and result in widespread violence. All of these can support and contribute to the intensification and acceleration of MDMH, impacting not only the conflict dynamics but also the use of indiscriminate violence. The online uptake of MDMH may further aggravate these dynamics. It can undermine the stability of mission environments, local conflicts, indiscriminate use of violence by non-state and state actors, impact detrimentally on human rights, and jeopardise overall processes of achieving and sustaining peace and supporting its processes. The report draws on four UN PKOs as case studies and hinges further analysis on two UN PKOs to provide and understand context specific examples of the rising challenges that UN PKO face with MDMH. This report by the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) in collaboration with Norwegian Capacity (NORCAP) and Training for Peace sets out to explore some of these key developments and challenges questioning, what is the impact of MDMH on UN PKO’s and their ability to effectively implement their mandates? What efforts have the selected UN PKO’s taken to respond to MDMH? What are the lessons identified and recommendations for UNPKOs to address MDMH?

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Screenshot 2024-04-15 at 13.45.07.png
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Lotte Vermeij, Andrew E. Yaw Tchie

The Impact and Response to Misinformation, Disinformation, Malinformation and Hate Speech in the Digital Era

Over the past decades, the use of misinformation, malinformation, disinformation and hate speech (MDMH) has contributed to the escalation of violence in environments where the United Nations deployed Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKO). The widespread utilisation of modern technology in UN PKO environments raises the magnitude of the MDMH threat. In some settings, MDMH places communities and peacekeepers at risk of harm, but more broadly, MDMH places UN PKOs in ever more challenging situations which they are often incapable of responding to. The spread of information by actors as part of hearts and minds campaigns and other information strategies to bring populations on the ground on their side is nothing new. Simultaneously, the diffusion of rumours and false information can contribute to the escalation of tensions between and within groups and communities and result in widespread violence. All of these can support and contribute to the intensification and acceleration of MDMH, impacting not only the conflict dynamics but also the use of indiscriminate violence. The online uptake of MDMH may further aggravate these dynamics. It can undermine the stability of mission environments, local conflicts, indiscriminate use of violence by non-state and state actors, impact detrimentally on human rights, and jeopardise overall processes of achieving and sustaining peace and supporting its processes. The report draws on four UN PKOs as case studies and hinges further analysis on two UN PKOs to provide and understand context specific examples of the rising challenges that UN PKO face with MDMH. This report by the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) in collaboration with Norwegian Capacity (NORCAP) and Training for Peace sets out to explore some of these key developments and challenges questioning, what is the impact of MDMH on UN PKO’s and their ability to effectively implement their mandates? What efforts have the selected UN PKO’s taken to respond to MDMH? What are the lessons identified and recommendations for UNPKOs to address MDMH?

  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Screenshot 2024-04-15 at 13.45.07.png
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • United Nations
Articles
Articles

Nagelhus Schia appointed Research Professor

NUPI researcher Niels Nagelhus Schia has been promoted to Research Professor.
  • Cyber
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Niels_169_small.jpg
Event
09:00 - 10:30
NUPI
Engelsk
Event
09:00 - 10:30
NUPI
Engelsk
23. Apr 2024
Event
09:00 - 10:30
NUPI
Engelsk

How Hungary’s Democratic Decline Challenges Europe: A Civil Society Perspective

Which lessons can be learned from the situation in Hungary?

Event
09:00 - 10:30
NUPI
Engelsk
Putin og Kadyrov_NTB_IMAGO_Mikhail Metzel_small.png
Event
09:00 - 10:30
NUPI
Engelsk
17. Apr 2024
Event
09:00 - 10:30
NUPI
Engelsk

The Russian model of Federalism: Are Centre-Region dynamics changing in Wartime?

How has Russia’s war against Ukraine affected centre-regions relations in Russia?

Gine Rønne Bolling
Researchers

Gine Rønne Bolling

Junior Research Fellow

Gine R. Bolling is a junior research fellow in the Research group on security and defence. She graduated with an MSc in Politics of Conflict, Rig...

  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Arctic
  • The Nordic countries
  • The EU
  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • NATO
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Arctic
  • The Nordic countries
  • The EU
Articles
New research
Articles
New research

The Impact of the Ukraine Conflict on Norwegian Energy Dynamics

Norway should establish an energy policy that makes the green transition less painful. But while the Ukraine war has accelerated the EU's renewable ambitions, it may have also bought Norway more time to adapt, according to a new NUPI report.
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • The Nordic countries
  • Conflict
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • The EU
Articles
New research
Articles
New research

The critical role of human rights in UN peace operations

In a new EPON report, experts highlight the importance of human rights work in United Nations peace operations.
  • Peace operations
  • Conflict
  • Human rights
  • United Nations
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